alsaker



Sept 13, 1932. A, AL AK R 1,876,535

SWITCH I Original Filed Sept. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept; 13, 1932. A. AL'SAKER 7 5.

SWITCH Original Filed Sept. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALFRED ALSAIKER, oroiIIc Gd L INoIs, ASSiGNOB TO-THE DELTA-STAR ELECTRIC COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS swrron Original application filed September '27. 1926. Serial 'No. 137,927. Dividedand this application filed January 6, 1930: Serial No 418,677.

This invention relates to disconnect switches, and more particularly to such switches as are designed for high voltage use or for use on medium voltage systems when the current carried by theswitch is quite high, and this application is a division of my 1" weather conditions.

copending application Serial No. 137 ,927, filed September 27, 1926.

The switch of the present invention comprises two insulators, both of which are 'to-' tatable, said insulators carrying .switch blades having contacts at their ends adapted to be moved into and outof engagement with one another by the motion of the insulators. Switches of the kind here contemplated are infrequently operated, being required to stand perhaps for years in one given position. The switches are generally mounted outdoors and are therefore subject to all sorts of adverse The contacts may become corroded together, or become covered with ice or sleet thereby rendering the opening of the switch exceedingly difficult. The insulators upon which the blades aremounted are made of porcelain or the like and therefore can not stand high 1 stresses. ,The difficulties involved in opening a switch of this kind can be better appreciated when one' considers the fact that the combined length 1 of the blades may exceed twelve feet and they must each be maintained in position by insulator stacks over. eight feet in height As result it may be seen that anything which may be done to reduce the weight of the=mov- 3 able mass, especially the switch blades, will greatly improve the switch and will reduce the chances of the switch failing to operate clue to cracking of'an insulator. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved switch blade,

so shaped asto reducethe weightjof the moving mass and to facilitate the establish-' ment of mechanical connections thereto. "I

prefer to make my switch blade out of a flatj bar and reenforce the same by securing thereto a substantially'T shaped bar, the bar;

being secured to the blade with the stem portion of the Textending along the longitudinal center thereof. This affords at'wo fold advantage in that itstrengthens the blade and it affords convenient means for establishing mechanical connections thereto. The blade is secured to the insulator by bolts or the like extending through the flange portion of the T, and the stem of the T extends away from the insulator.

I In the preferred form of my invention the insulators-have the dualfunction of serving as anchors for the adj acent ends of the line and, at the same time, as the spindle or shaft for swinging the arms away from or toward each other to'open or close the switch. I have found that a T shaped blade is particularly useful in'a switch wherein the rotary insulator must act as an anchor for the adjacent ends of the linesince the anchoring means may be readily secured to the blade. A bearing member is secured to the stem of the T shaped bar directly above and in line with the central axis of rotation of the insulator and a terminal lug for connecting a line to the switch blade is supported by the bearing. Thus the terminal may remain nonrotatable while the insulator and the blade are being rotated. V A T shaped blade, with the stem of the T located centrally of the blade affords an easy means for connecting the bearing to the blade and does away with the need for special fittings and the like thus reducing the cost and the weight of the blade. In addition, a T shaped blade is a very convenient shape on which arcing-horns may be mounted. The arcing horns are mounted upon the stem of the T, which may be done in a very simple and convenient manner without the necessity of complicated fittings or the like.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the" accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a preferred form of my invention; Figure2-is a plan view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of one of the blade members of the switch;

6" all choring the line conductor in place;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the same taken along the line 66 of Figure .5; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the contact jaws used on one of the blades.

The switch shown in the drawings is one which may be of about 600 amperes capacity and which is suitable for use on a 135 K. V.

nne. The switch is provided with two separate supporting insulators 20and 21 which are of a standard construction. The insulator 20 comprises a number of insulator units 22, which are joined together by suitable bolts 23. The lower one of the units 22 is secured to a bearing member 2 1 by means of bolts indicated at 25. The bearing member 24, in turn, is mounted upon a suitable base 26 which may be of inverted channel section or of any other preferred construction, the bearing being secured to the base by means of bolts 28. Likewise the insulator 21 comprises the insulator units 30 which are joined together by means of the bolts 31. The lower insulator unit is secured to a bearing member 32 by the bolts 33. The bearing member 32 is also fastened to the channel base 26 by means of suitable bolts 34. A grounding lug 38 is fastened to the channel members and has a wire connected thereto for grounding the switch base. Both of the bearing members 24 and 32 are of the same general structure and are of a construction such as is shown more particularly in each of my above referred to parent applications, to which reference may be had for a more complete description thereof. It is believed to be suflicient here to state that the bearings are of the anti-freezing type being provided with overhanging caves to prevent the entrance of moisture therein and are free of capillary spaces, the bearing members being in addition filled with a suitable grease or the like to prevent the entrance of moisture into the bearings. Disposed substantially centrally between the two groups of insulators 20 and 2 1, respectively, on the channel member 26, is a central bearing 59. This bearing is of substantially the same construction as the bearings 24 and 32 except that the lower end of the revolvable supporting memher is made lon er so that suitable actuating t) Q mechanism may be fastened thereto. The extended portion of the bearing 59 is designated by the numeral 60. The central bearing 59, which may also properly be called the control bearing is secured to the channel member 26 by means of bolts 61. The lower end portion 60 of the bearing member 59 has a polygonal shape, preferably octagonal, and is adapted to receive a lever 6041 having a split hub which is adapted to be clamped upon the end portion 60 in any one of eight positions. To the upper end of the revolvable supports I secure separate lever arms 63 and 64: by means of bolts 65. A clevis 66 is pivotally connected to the end of the arm 63 and a pipe 67 connects the clevis 66 with another clevis 6.8 which, in turn, is pivotally connected to a lever 69 bolted to the flange at the upper end of the revolvable support of the bearing member24, being bolted thereto by bolts 70. Likewise the free end of the lever 64 is pivotally connected to a clevis 71 which is connected, by means of a pipe or rod 7:? with a clevis 7 3 which is pivotally connected to lever 74 fastened by bolts 75 to the flange on the upper end of the revolvable support of thebearing 32. It will be noted that by turning the lower end 60 of the bearing member 59 that the rotary motion imparted there to will be transmitted by the links which are connected to the movable parts of the bearing members 2 1 and 32 respectively. Hence, any desired angular movement of the insulator group 20 and 21 may be obtained by simply varying the length of the links which inter connects each of these groups with the central bearing member 59. The clevises 66 and 71 are threaded to the pipes 67 and 72 and held by suitable lock nuts so that adjustments may be made.

A flange .or mounting member 81 is bolted by bolts 83 to the upper end of the insulator group 20. On the mounting member is bolted by bolts 83, the left hand switch arm 82 which comprises a T-shaped reinforcing member 84 to which is bolted, by bolts 83 a flat bar conductor 85 which may be welded or otherwise suitably secured thereto throughout its length. As may be seen more fully from Figures 3 and 4, the conductor bar 85 extends beyond the ends of the T-shaped member 84;.. To .one of these ends is secured a flexible cable or conductor 86, by means of a plate member 87 and bolts 88. The opposite end of the conductor 85 is adapted to make contact with .a pair of cooperating jaws carried by the other switch blade and it is provided with a generally box-shaped projecting hood 89 which is secured thereto by bolts 90.

The upper end of the insulator group 21 is also provided with a mounting member 91 which is similar to that of the insulator group 20. The mounting member is bolted to the top insulator of this group by means of bolts 92 and to this mounting member is secured the right hand switch arm 93. The switch arm 93 issubstantially identical to the switch arm 82, differing therefrom in that this switch arm has a pair of spring pressed contact jaws mounted thereon which contact jaws cooperate with the contacting portion of the bl d 2- 'The' contact is generally designated by th numeral and is shown'more particularly in Figure 7. The contact comprises a pair of nal axis of the insulator group 20.

made of sections of tubing compressed upon the braided conductors 102. The opposite ends of the braided conductors 102 are secured to the conductor by suitable plates 103 and bolts 104 which extend through the conductor 4: 95. To hold the jaws in place I provide a pair of springs 105 which I secure to the outer faces of the jaws by suitable screws and studs 106. The opposite ends of these springs 105 are held firmly to the plate 103 by the bolts 104:. These springs are preferably, but not necessarily, made of phosphor bronze. They not only serve to bring the contact jaws 101 into firm contact with the conductor 85 when the switch blades are in alignment, but also i will do so even though they may be slightly out of alignment. For this purpose the jaws are spaced from the end of the bar conductor 95 thereby permitting the springs to twist or float laterally whenever necessary to permit the jaws 101 to make a good contact with the contacting end of the bar 85.

A terminal adapted member is secured to the stem 109 of the blade member 82 and in substantial alignment with the lO11glt%dlhe adapter is of a construction such as is illustrated more fully in Figures 5 and 6. The terminal. member includes a bearing 111 which has a bifurcated portion which is adapted to straddle the stem or vertical web of the T-shaped reinforcing member 84. Suitable bolts 113 serve to hold it firmly in place on the web. Member 111 is provided with a hollow portion 115 through which the flexible conductor 86 is extended. A terminal lug member 112 is adapted to seat on the bearing surface 116 of the bearing member. Extending up rardly from this seating surface is a generally cylindrical portion 117 whici is adapted to fit rather snugly in the terminal lug 112. It is provided with an angular clearance or recess portion 118 which is filled with grease for lubricating the hearing parts. Integral with the upper end of the cylindrical portion 117 is a lug or key member 119 which is adapted to ride on the bearing surface 120 of the terminal 112. To permit mounting of the terminal 112 on the bearing member 111 I provide a keyway 121, which is slightly wider than the key 119 which cooperates with it. It will be noted that all that is necessary to move the terminal from its bearing member is to bring the key 119 in line with the keyway 121. This being done, the terminal may readily be separated from the "bearing member. However, when both ofthese are in engagement, as in the casewhen they are put in service, the key 119 serves to lock the terminal lug 112 to the bearing member 111. Hence, by this arrangement, it is necessary to turn the switch bladethrough before the key 119 will come into ali nment with its keyway 121. In normal use, however, these members do not come into register because the switch arm is not turned far enough, 90 of turning of the switch arm being ordinarily sufficient. A grease cup 122 extends through the side wall of the terminal 112 and opens into the clear-- ance space 118. The terminal lug has a downwardiy extending flange portion 123 on its ini'ier surface through which an opening is formed, which opening is in register with an opening in the body of the terminal member itself. The flexible cable 86 is extended through both of the openings and it closes the upper end of the hollow terminal 112. The lower end of the hollow member 112 has a skirt or circular cave overhanging the stud memb .r 115. The flexible stranded. cable 86 is preferably sweated to the terminal so as to insure satisfactory connection therewith. The lower portion of the terminal has an outwardly extending lug 12 1 to which the line conductor 125 is connected by suitable clamping plates 126 and bolts 12?. However, in place of the plates, 1 may employ a terminal lug such as is shown at 38 in Figure 1. The switch arm 93 is provided with a bearing member 1 9 of a construction similar to the bearing member 110 of the switch blade 82. Aline conductor 131 is connected to the terminal lug 129 by means of a lug 132 and bolts 133 whereby anchoring the line conductor to the switch.

Suitable arcing horns 192 and 193 are secured to the switch blade members 82 and 93, respectively, although it is to be understood that the arcing horns may be omitted if desired. These horns are in the shape of irregular angles substantially as shown in the drawings. The remote sides of the horns are substantially straight, but the a'cent sides n ve laterally extending or substantial horizontal portions 192 and 193 which overlap when the switch is closed. When the switch arms 82 and 93 are moved towards the open position, the contacts will not be disengaged at once. These arcing horns overlap during the initial opening movement and when the contacts actually do separate the points or .rnces 192, and 193 start to leave contacts and if any are is drawn it tends to rise along the inclined side above the points 192 and 193, until it is ruptured. The horns are secured to the stem of the T-shaped blades by means of suitable fittings 195 and 196, which fittings may be bolted or otherwise suitably secured to thestem of the blades.

While I have herein shown a switch blade comprising a T-shaped bar to the flange of which a conducting bar has been secured, it is to be understood that the blade may be made as an integral unit with the base of the blade ntegral with the T-shaped portion. It is to be further understood that the entire switch blade may be made of conducting material in order to carry the full current of the switch but if the current carrying requirements of the switch do not necessitate this then the member 85 is made of current carrying ma terial whereas the T-shaped reinforcing bar is made of stronger material such as steel or the like.

It is apparent from the above description that l have provided a sturdy switch blade which is light of weight and which is of such a shape to render lb quite a simple matter to connect thereto a terminal lug for anchoring a line conductor or for connecting thereto an arcing horn.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes, I have herein shown and described a gn'eferred embodiment of my invention. It is however to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction herein shown, the same being merely illustrative of the invention.

What 1 consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. A switch having a rotary insulator, a "I? shaped switch blade mounted on the insulator and actuated thereby, the flange of the T being disposed towards the insulator and the stem of the T being directed away from the insulator, a bearing member mounted on the stem of the blade with its central axis in line with the axis of rotation of the insulator, and in a line wire anchored to the switch through said bearing member.

2. A switch having a "l" shaped blade, and a bea ing having a stationary portion and a rotary portion, said rotary portion being rigidly secured to the stem of the T.

3. A switch having a T shaped blade, and

a bearing having a stationary portion and a rotary port on, said rotary portion including a bifurcated portion embracing the stem of the T and rigidly secured thereto.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this second day of January, 1930.

ALFRED ALSAKER. 

